Patient support means of the above-mentioned kind are known the sections of which are pivotal relative to one another about transverse axes by motors arranged in the rails of the patient support means. For certain purposes it is however also desirable to make possible a translational adjustment of the patient support means relative to the supporting apparatus, in order for example to be able to shift certain body parts of the patient into the reach of an X-ray device or other stationary apparatus during an operation without having to take the patient support means off of the support apparatus. In all kinds of adjusting apparatus there exists the problem that they must work reliably and must represent no danger to the patient or the operator, and at the same time must be convenient and reliable to clean so that they can fulfill the sterility requirements of an operating room.
The invention has as its object the provision of a patient support means of the aforementioned type which, taking into consideration the previously mentioned requirements, is translationally adjustable relative to a support apparatus.